GENETIC ENGINEERING WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING FOREVER
GENETIC MODIFICATION
Humans have been engineering life for thousands of years. Through selective breeding, we strengthened
useful traits in plants and animals. We became very good at this, but never fully understood how it worked.
Until we discovered the code of life, Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA). A complex molecule that guides the
growth, development, function, and reproduction of everything alive. Information is encoded in the structure
of molecule. Four nucleotides are paired and make up a code that carries instructions. Change the
instructions and you change the being carrying it.
As soon as DNA was discovered, people tried to tinker with it. In the 1960’s, scientists bombarded plants
with radiation to cause random mutations in the genetic code. The idea was to get useful plant variation by
pure chance. Sometimes it worked too.
In the 70’s scientists inserted DNA snippets into bacteria, plants and animals to study and modify them for
research, medicine, agriculture and for fun. The earliest genetically modified animal was born in 1974,
making mice a standard tool for research, saving millions of lives. In the 80’s we got commercial. The first
patent was given for a microbe engineered to absorb oil. Today, we produce many chemicals by means of
engineered life like lifesaving clotting factors, growth hormones, and insulin. All the things we must harvest
from the organs of animals before that.
The first food modified in the lab went on sale in 1994: the FLAVR SAVR tomato, a tomato given a much
longer shelf life where an extra gene that suppresses the build-up of rotting enzyme.
In the 1990; s there was also a brief foray into human engineering. To treat maternal infertility, babies were
made that carried genetic information from 3 humans. Today, there are super muscled pigs, fast-growing
salmon, featherless chickens, and see-through frogs. All of this is already very impressive, but until recently
GENE EDITING was extremely expensive, complicated and took a long time to do. This has now changed
with a revolutionary new technology now entering the stage --- CRISPR (Clustered Regularly
Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats). Overnight, the cost of engineering has shrunk by 99%.
Instead of a year, it takes a few weeks to conduct experiments, and basically everybody with a lab can do
it.
It’s hard to get across how big a technical revolution CRISPR is. It literally has the potential to change
humanity forever. Why did this sudden revolution happen and how does it work?
THE OLDEST WAR ON EARTH
Bacteria and viruses have been fighting since the dawn of life. So-called bacteriophages or phages hunt
bacteria. In the ocean, phages kill 40% of them every single day. Phages do this by inserting their own
genetic code into the bacteria and taking them over to use them as factories. The bacteria tried to resist but
failed most of the time because their protection tools are too weak. But sometimes bacteria survive an
attack. Only if they do so can they activate their most effective antivirus system: They save the part of the
virus DNA in their own genetic code in a DNA archive called CRISPR. Here, it’s stored safely until it’s
needed. When the virus attacks again, the bacterium quickly makes an RNA copy from the DNA archive
and arms a secret weapon – a protein called CAS9. The protein now scans the bacterium’s insides for
signs of the virus invader. by comparing every bit of DNA, it finds to the sample from the archive. When it
finds a 100% perfect match, it’s activated and cuts out the virus DNA, making it useless, protecting the
bacterium against the attack.
What is special is that CAS9 is very precise, almost like DNA surgeon. The revolution began when
scientists figured out that the CRISPR System is programmable. You can just give it a copy of DNA you
want to modify and put the system into a living cell. If the old techniques of genetic manipulation were like a
map, CRISPR is like a GPS System. Aside from being precise, cheap, and easy, CRISPR offers the ability
to edit live cells, to switch genes on and off, and target and study particular DNA sequences. It also works
for every type of cell: microorganisms, plants, animals, or humans. But despite the revolution, CRISPR is
for science, it’s still just first-generation tool. More precise tools are already being created and used as we
speak.
THE END OF DISEASE?
In 2015, scientists used CRISPR to cut HIV virus out of living cells from patients in the lab, proving
that it was possible. Only about a year later, they carried out a larger scale projects with rats that had
the HIV virus in basically all of their body cells. By simply injecting CRISPR into the rat’s tails, they
were able to remove more than 50% of the virus from cells all over the body. In a few decades, a
CRISPR therapy might cure HIV and other retroviruses, Viruses that hide inside the human DNA like
Herpes could be eradicated this way. CRISPR could also defeat one of our worst enemies – Cancer.
Cancer occurs when cells refuse to die and keep multiplying while concealing themselves from the immune
system. CRISPR gives us the means to edit your immune cells and make them better cancer hunters.
Getting rid of cancer might eventually mean getting just a couple of injections of a few thousand of your
own cells that have been engineered in the lab to heal you for good.
The first clinical trial for a CRISPR cancer treatment on human patients was approved in the early 2016 in
the US. Not even a month later, Chinese scientists announced that they would treat lung cancer patients
with immune cells modified with CRISPR in August 2016. Things are picking up pace quickly.
And then there are genetic diseases. There are thousands of them, and they range from mildly annoying to
deadly or entail decades of suffering. With a powerful tool like CRISPR, we may be able to end this. Over
3000 genetic diseases are caused by a single incorrect letter in your DNA. We are already building a
modified version of CAS9 that is made to change just a single letter, fixing the disease in the cell.
In a decade or two, we could possibly cure thousands of diseases forever. But all these medical
applications have one thing in common: They are limited to the individual and die with them, except when
you use them on reproductive cells or very early embryos. But CRISPR can and probably will be used for
much more: The creation of modified humans—designer babies—and means gradual, but irreversible
changes to human gene pool.
DESIGNER BABIES
The means to edit the genome of a human embryo already exists. Though the technology is still in its
early stages, but it has already been attempted twice.
In 2015 and 2016, Chinese scientists experimented with human embryos and were partially successful on
their second attempt. They showed the enormous challenges we still face in gene editing embryos, but
also that scientists are working on solving them.
This is like the computer in the 70’s. There will be better computers. Regardless of your personal take on
genetic engineering, it will affect you. Modified humans could alter the genome of our entire species
because their engineered traits will be passed on to their children and could spread over generations,
slowly modifying the whole gene pool of humanity. It will start slowly. The first designer babies will not be
overly designed.
It is most likely that will be created to eliminate a deadly genetic disease running in a family. As the
technology progresses and gets more refined, more and more people may argue that not using genetic
modification is unethical, because it condemns children to preventable suffering and death and denies
them the cure. But as soon as the first engineered kid is born, a door is opened that can’t be closed
anymore.
Early on, vanity traits will mostly be left alone. But as genetic modification becomes more accepted and our
knowledge of our genetic code enhances, the temptation will grow.
If you make your offspring immune to Alzheimer, why not also give them an enhanced metabolism? Why
not throw in perfect eyesight? how about height or muscular structure? Full hair? How about giving your
child the gift of extraordinary intelligence? Huge changes are made because of the personal decisions of
millions of individuals that accumulate. This is a slippery slope. Modified humans could become the new
standard.
But as engineering becomes more normal and our knowledge improves, we could solve the single biggest
mortality sick factor: aging.
2/3 of the 150,000 people who died today will die of age-related causes. Currently we think aging is caused
by the accumulation of damage to our cells, like DNA breaks and the systems responsible for fixing those
wearing off over time. But there are also genes that directly affect aging. A combination of genetic
engineering and other therapy could stop or slow down aging, maybe even reverse it. We know from
nature that there are animals immune to aging. Maybe we could even borrow a few genes for ourselves.
Some scientists even think biological aging could be something that eventually just stops being a thing.
We would still die at some point but instead of doing so in hospitals at age 90, we might be able to spend a
few thousand years with our loved ones. Research into this is in its infancy, and many scientists are rightly
skeptical about the end of aging. The challenges are enormous and maybe it is unachievable, but it is
conceivable the people alive today might be the first to profit from effective anti- aging therapy. All we
might need is for someone to convince a smart billionaire to make it their next problem to solve. On a
bigger scale, we certainly could solve many problems by having modified population. Engineered humans
might be better equipped to cope with high-energy food, eliminating many diseases of civilization like
obesity.
In possession of a modified immune system, with a library of potential threats, we might become immune to
most diseases that haunt us today. Even further into the future, we could engineer humans to be equipped
for extended space travel and to cope with different conditions on other planets, which would be extremely
helpful; in keeping us alive in our hostile universe.
A FEW GRAINS OF SALT
Still, a few major challenges await us: some technological, some ethical. Many will feel uncomfortable and
fear that we will create a world in which we will reject non –perfect humans and pre-select features and
qualities based on our idea of what is healthy.
Tests for dozens of genetic diseases or complications have become standard for pregnant women in much
of the world.
Take Down Syndrome for example, one of the most common genetic defects. In Europe, about 92% of all
pregnancies where it’s detected are terminated. The decision to terminate pregnancy is incredibly
personal, but it’s important to acknowledge the reality that we are pre-selecting humans based on medical
conditions.
There is also no use in pretending this will change, so we must act carefully and respectfully as we
advance the technology and can make more and more selections. But none of this will happen soon.
As powerful as CRISPR is—and it is, it’s not infallible yet. Wrong edits still happen as well as unknown
errors that can occur anywhere in the DNA and might go unnoticed. The gene edit might achieve the
desired result ---disabling a disease, but also might accidentally trigger unwanted changes.
We just do not know enough yet about the complex interplay of our genes to avoid unpredictable
consequences. Working on accuracy and monitoring methods is a major concern as the first human trials
begin. If there is possible positive future, there are also darker visions too.
Imaging what a state like North Korea could do if they embraced genetic engineering. Could a state
cement its rule forever by forcing gene editing on their subjects? What would stop totalitarian regime from
engineering an army of modified super soldiers? It is doable in theory. Scenarios like that are far, far off
into the future, if they ever become possible at all. But the basic proof of concept for genetic engineering
like this already exists today. The technology really is that powerful. While this might be a tempting reason
to ban genetic editing and related research, that would certainly be a mistake.
Banning human genetic engineering would only lead to the science wandering off to a place with
jurisdiction and rules that we are uncomfortable with. Only by participating can we make sure that further
research is guided by caution, reason, oversight, and transparency.
CONCLUSION
The technology is certainly a bit scary, but we have a lot to gain, and genetic engineering might just be a
step in the natural revolution of intelligent species in the universe. We might end disease. We could extend
our life expectancy by centuries and travel to the stars. There is no need to think small when it comes to
this topic. Whatever your opinion on genetic engineering the future is approaching no matter what. What
has been insane science fiction is about to become our new reality, a reality full of opportunities and
challenges.
GENETIC ENGINEERING
Many years ago, diabetic who needed insulin to survive, must inject cow or pig insulin into their bodies.
This was not ideal for many reasons.
Today, the insulin that diabetics inject is human insulin and it is produced by microorganisms such as the e
coli bacterium and certain strains of yeast. But how do these microorganisms produce human insulin?
Genetic engineering. Scientists can turn certain microorganisms into mini factories that make useful
substances that improve our health, the environment, and the economy. But what is Genetic Engineering?
An organism’s DNA makes up its genes which code for the organism needs to survive. Each gene codes
for a different protein or part of a protein.
GENETIC ENGINEERING is the manipulation or changing of the DNA of an organism. It involves removing
the gene from one organism which is called the DONOR and transferring it to another organism which is
referred to as the RECIPIENT. The Recipient is called a TRANSGENIC ORGANISM or a genetically
modified organism.
There are two basic purposes of Genetic Engineering: sometimes we require large volumes of a particular
protein to be made. Scientists use transgenic microorganisms to produce large volumes of this protein. For
example, insulin, growth hormone or vaccines.
An organism B can have a gene from a different organism A. Introduced to give it (B) some advantage that
A has naturally. Organisms like B are called genetically modified or transgenic organisms.
For example, a gene that manufactures a toxic chemical in a bacterium can be introduced into a Mais plant
to make the plant toxic to certain insects that would eat it such as caterpillars.
Process of Genetic engineering: How do you transfer genetic characteristic from one organism to another?
Although it is a very complex process, it can be summarized rather simply. We will use the example of how
the insulin gene is inserted into a bacterium in order to manufacture large amount of human insulin. The
gene that codes for human insulin is found on chromosome 11 at position 15.5. The insulin gene is cut
from chromosome 11 using special enzymes called RESTRICTION ENZYMES. Bacteria possesses small
circular strands of DNA floating in their cytoplasm. These strands of DNA are called PLASMIDS. A plasmid
is extracted from the bacterium cell. The plasmid is cut open using the same restriction enzymes that were
used to cut the insulin gene from the human chromosome. The restriction enzymes leave sticky end where
one of the two DNA strands slightly longer than the other. Because the same restriction enzyme was used
to cut both the human DNA and the bacterial plasmid, the sticky ends are complementary and will allow for
joining using complementary base pairing. The insulin gene is joined to the plasmid by the sticky ends. An
enzyme called LIGASE is used to complete the joining of the two pieces of DNA. The modified plasmid is
then reinserted into the bacterial cell. The modified bacterium is a genetically modified or transgenic
organism because it contains some human DNA along with its own bacterial DNA. Its bacterial DNA is
called the RECOMBINANT DNA Bacterial DNA recombined with human DNA.
The bacterial cell is placed in a fermenter which allows a rapid asexual reproduction in ideal conditions with
the optimal temperature, pH and lots of food. Because the bacteria reproduced asexually, the offspring are
all clones of the original transgenic bacterium. They all have identical recombinant DNA. The bacteria
expressed their own genes to survive. In other words, they make their normal bacterial proteins, but they
also express the human insulin gene and make human insulin. The fermenter has become a culture of mini
factories. All producing human insulin. The insulin is then extracted, purified, and packaged. Humans can
now inject themselves human insulin and that how genetic engineering works.
